Purpose
by NapoleonVI
Summary: *Manly Voice* Rated M for Mature. Purpose, we live because of it, we breathe because of it...but a life with no purpose ends in tragedy. Look up beyond, dying one and those who despair wishing a purpose would give them chance...it's an offer away. Edward Torch, a man of the modern world is killed. No purpose, no life...he seeks for one in a new world. Will he find it or die?


Purpose

Death and Life

_You must understand a few simple rules_

_Firstly, you must die in order to live_

_Second, you can accept my offer or die_

_Thirdly, I am a person who never accepts anyone_

_Fourthly, I am your cause of death_

_Follow these and understand what it means for true death_

Unknown book

Chapter One

_When I was younger, a small 13 year old child who had just started to explore the world I had an active imagination, one that would fuel a ton of problems in the future but I guess you can't complain when they send you where you want to be in…like a alchemist fighting for Ishbala, a L'Ceil battling for the Goddess on their own or the more human response as you grew older: the know-it-all who knows, acts like he can predict the events and anticipate them with countermeasures. Suffice to say, people left and right who watch movies and animated series always wonder how things might have been: If Obito didn't attack Rain, or the fox loved the kid or maybe even if the human turned Shinigami was actually regaining his powers in the very first arc of the manga, or even if the Faint-Smile survived her untimely decapitation by someone who surpassed being her equal. I had the imagination of an entire continent, of course more ideas meant someone would be very, very busy with all these great ideas for stories swimming in their heads for days…which explained why years later I turned to writing such stories like the others who did signing onto sites and making new arcs, however this did not last long when they arrived…_

Part 2: Initiation

It was a sunny afternoon, something I treasured on weekends when everyone had their own time to themselves and work became a distant dream. I had just finished some chapters on a bunch of manga that was recommended or already in my 'must read' list of manga, and it was time for me to return to some story-telling of my own as I brought up my Windows Word to continue the work I had postponed last weekend (the story was just about to unfold in my mind then), and it soon happened.

3rd person switch!

"Hmm, maybe I should have Naruto's nuts stomped on for being such a perv…oh no wait, this Claymore story arc doesn't seem right for me. I should change it but…oh! Raki becomes an anti-weapon for-"

"ED!"

"It's Edward. E-d-w-a-r-d." The voice snorted back in retort, making the young man's back hairs bristle in slight anger as he turned to the direction of his locked door.

"Whatever you say, Mr. Fantasy Writer you have a few minutes to get down here and get your lunch!" The taunting voice caused the young man to bite his tongue refraining from shouting some smart-ass comment when he was made aware of his hunger, Edward soon waved towards the door imagining the smirk coming from the kitchen below.

"Ok, ok bro…I'll be there don't worry your pretty head!" He heard laughter in reply as he smiled, his hands moving away from the keyboard as he pushed his chair back making a frame with his hands as he admired the Word document occupying his screen from afar. Right now he had finished reading through a small draft of a small story for one of the newest series in animation works, Attack on Titan which had a good storyline reminiscent of Claymore and the setting almost Fullmetal Alchemist style, two qualities that made him interested in it in the first place. So far from his readings of the manga, it was interesting but yet Edward always found it disturbing to say the least with the fact that the protagonists' age got in the way of some bias remarks made by him when he read it, the very truth that the creators used 15 and 16 year olds in a war against overwhelming odds was in itself…sickening really. But it was Metal Gear that introduced him to the idea of child soldiers besides charity ads on TV that grimly reminded him how low the world fell, Edward shaking away the morbid thought as he read it through again before a satisfied grin found his face as he saved the document.

"Mm, it seems to flow nicely…I hope the readers love this." Edward chuckled to himself as he closed down the window, giving himself a few moments to relax and stretch as he laid on his back on the floor sighing in relief before he went into a sit-up position. Edward wore a medium size red shirt, the creases still able to be seen on both the shirt and his brown 3 quarter pants going past down his knees giving some space from the lower half of his thighs downwards. His face was average for a person who just got out of the puberty stage in life, some small lines across his face still visible despite his slightly tanned skin from a time when he was assaulted by a wolf back in a trip to Norway for a vacation with his family, the creature had pounced on him when he had wandered away from the cabin his family had hired and stayed with the guide luckily his father and the guide had just got out of the cabin to find him, or he would have not survived the encounter. He had approached the wolf when they were sure it was dead, only to find it was playing dead before it lashed out at him scarring him in the process before his father brought the woodcutter's axe down to behead the beast. From then on, he called his father the 'Lumberjack' in reference of the man from Little Red Riding Hood and his bravery in the event made him look up to his father.

"Okay, 30 sit-ups like planned." Edward sighed as he got down to work, his fingers at the sides of his head clenched in fists like a combat stance as he started to push himself up to his knees. He had an average figure, not insanely thin or bony like those heroes depicted in anime or manga nor was he fat either with a slightly bulging stomach and a small hint of two abs visible on his upper stomach nor was his arms and legs bulky but he was still able to run faster than anyone in his class, a skill he took to heart and trained his running more than his arms. While his friends and some members of his family told him he should work on his arm muscles, he would reply "And if I couldn't fight? I rather run like the wind than be the weak slab of meat in the middle of the storm."

"…and 30, cool I still got it after a week of abandoning routine." The man spoke as he reached into his wardrobe to pick out a light blue shirt and light brown cargo pants with the change of briefs as he entered the bathroom, unceremoniously dropping them onto the tiled floor as he crawled into the bathtub turning on the showerhead letting the water fall over his black hair his skin prickled at the contact of the cold water giving a groan of satisfaction. When he finished he changed out and walked down the stairs to the living room clothes in hand when he saw a slightly older man sitting at the TV with a bowl of food in hand, not remotely moving while glued to the screen like that made Edward realize just how focused he normally was as the older man turned back to face him with a grin in recognition.

"Hey writer, glad you're awake." Cilian, his older brother and part-time military man once served in the Middle East for only 2 months and 5 months at a base in Istabul, the crossroads of the world. People never seem to be able to tell him and his younger brother apart when they stood shoulder to shoulder, their facial features albeit too similar to each other like mirror images but unlike Edward's 'dead fish eyes' Cilian had the brighter brown eyes a shade lighter than his younger brother's, and their hair was the same black tone.

"Ugh, give it a rest Cilian I gotta eat my food." Cilian huffed in response, his mouth forming a cocky smile. Unlike his younger brother, Cilian had both the arms and legs to fight or flight effectively and his training and real-life experiences in judo and some karate in his spare time made him an adept close-quarter combatant, sometimes volunteering himself to train Edward though he only accepted when the day was right for him to do so. Ever since Edward got caught by his brother in the middle of a story he was writing for a fansite a few months back, he had not stopped mentioning him to some of the relatives as 'the writer' of the family and even his asking of what stories he weaved sometimes during the weekends. But Edward never really shared too much, giving him teasers and even teased him by saying he only gave official trailers when he was near the end which normally lasted a few weeks that made his older brother sigh in defeat.

"Sure bro, saw my bowl? It's macaroni soup today with some vegetables and stuff. You know, instead of creating those small snacks you call meals you should come with me to learn some major cooking like those channels."

"Aha, the day I do is the day I write my cooking book and publish it." Edward spoke flatly.

"Hey seriously, though Ed…have you ever thought about writing for reals? I mean, as a career. Man I've seen you perched on your chair and table always engrossing yourself in the newest chapters and stuff that you can somehow create new terms and even make the current arc more interesting that way." Cilian spoke, his wavy brown hair moving from the breeze through the open window his eyes still fixated on the television as Edward gave a shrug like he could still see his reaction, pulling out a bowl and began to serve.

"Yea, about that though I don't think our parents would approve of it…I mean it's just that, if dad and mom were around and saw me now-"

"Don't start selling yourself short, Ed. You know in your heart you have the creative fire burning, and if I know what dad would say if I told him he would be proud that you found a skill you're able to use. And hey, mom isn't dead yet…she's still in hospital from that stroke months back but she'll be back right as rain." Edward stopped, his mind going into a small blank at the last part before a feeling of sadness crawled back into his heart. His brother must have noticed as he heard the TV noise die as he eyed his brother in front of the kitchen counter looking at him with firm brown eyes.

"Edward, I know you've been more engrossed into your stories than before since dad died. Hell you locked yourself in your room for a few days but came out to eat and have small talk, but I know you Ed. You missed him, and with mom in hospital you went to absorb yourself into more work to keep it off your mind. Ed I just wanna tell you it's gonna be okay." He finished almost lamely, but it seemed to have effect as Edward snapped out of his thoughts and gave a small assuring smile of his own.

"Yea…yeah, I think she will."

"Of course she will. But hell don't absorb yourself into these stories of yours, I just am afraid you might bury yourself too far because of it." Edward nodded slightly, his mind racing with new ideas as he tried to suppress more emotions from flowing, settling for letting it out by chopping the macaroni up with his spoon making his brother raise an eyebrow.

"Dude, macaroni did nothing to you."

"Can you shut up and let me find an outlet for this? You're bringing a tear to my eye." Cilian simply gave a theatrical bow in response.

"And that monsieur is why I'm here." Edward rolled his eyes, getting the reference as he gave a small laugh to humor his brother.

"Sure, sure laugh it up brother. But Varric, seriously couldn't think of anymore to say?" Cilian raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Would you rather I recite Otacon?" Edward kept his mouth shut at that, his only response was to take a spoonful of macaroni to shove into his mouth chewing it deliberately at a slow pace giving a blank stare as he did the action, much to his older brother's amusement.

"Edward, Family Guy isn't funny when you do it in real life."

_Nighttime_

"Gonna be okay, huh…" Edward spoke lying in his bed, his mind was still repeating his brother's words in his head as he rubbed the temple of his forehead slender fingers sliding across the scars that ran on his face. He had not gotten much sleep when he went back to small exercise and checking the progress of his university entrance, his eyes beginning to tire as he rubbed them unconsciously making him aware of the time before he switched off the computer and sat on his bed, thinking about his life again. The same old routine every night…Edward propped himself to face his clock as he looked at the time passing close to midnight before a new day where he would be going over to the church to help out at the service worship with the projection work, a small eager smile on his face waiting to meet his high school friends or at least a few of them. Back when he was in high school he wasn't the most popular kid in class, he was an average scorer with a simple mindset when it came to study and that was to just find out what the teachers wanted you to understand and proceed to application only when you know what they are talking about, and because of it he good above average grades and people were commenting what he should do with that knowledge for a career or a future.

It disgusted him. Edward couldn't stop reminding himself just how much people had wanted to control him, to restrict his actions when he wanted to pursue something he knew his abilities could reach, but only to fall short when someone pulled the plug when his goal was just a swipe away…but all that intensified when someone had stumbled into the computer room while he was typing away at the keyboard alone trying to complete a story for a fan site, and from that day on everyone changed around him. At first he didn't notice the change, there was mutters sure but they would always die down when he walked by them or greeted them before weird looks were exchanged between each other but soon enough his friend broke the silence and told him straight that his whole class had known his hobby, and many of them were laughing about it talking about the 'pansy' with dead eyes trying to write a story for some fan-service as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth when he was going home, that period haunted him and he soon absorbed himself into his stories while pulling out good grades like he always did but with a bit more sarcasm and mistrust whenever he was asked to do group projects, leading to several run-ins with the school consular who kept telling his teacher to control his class and ask to refrain from laughing at what Edward wanted to do in life. They never listened.

The death of his father by a group of muggers made nothing easier on his family nor his school life, the trial had him even come face to face with the people responsible and none of them looked terribly guilty about what they did even though his father didn't even have a wallet nor valuables with him when he was killed, his mother cried and kicked and screamed like a banshee until she collapsed right there on the court floor from a stroke and he would never forget those men who looked nonchalantly at my mother and shrugged like a commonplace theme. Edward soon began to feel the pressure from his classmates as he tried to keep his emotions from running rampant, no one had talked to him that day even most of his 'friends' who he thought gave a shit to say a condolence not even one word, like he never existed in their lives…and before he knew it graduation came and he was sent off with a high chance of entering a university. But what never changed was how he would sit on his weekends and just to chase those voices of the past, began to write more intense and darker stories as time went on…but the fanbase still liked it, but he began to try and write a more sunnier one recently. Edward sighed upon his reflection, replaying his brother's words again as he muttered to himself.

"How long had this gone on, the stories, the fantasies…you were right, Cil I was trying to forget."

_Try to forget…what am I trying to forget anyway? Dad's passed on and Mom, she's somewhere in the hospital without much life left…and Cil will be moving away soon to his university. I buried myself in stories, trying to bury all those facts and feelings away and for nothing…I don't have much to live for._

Edward turned over to his bed, his mind processing his thoughts before he hugged his pillow closer to his exposed body as the cold wind rushed through his room again. He had been told many times in his youth that crying meant you were weak, a sniveling coward, someone who wasn't worthy of doing anything for that one time he cried…and yet, he didn't believe it. To cry was an emotion men chose not to embrace because it was considered weak and pathetic, but Edward knew it was bull…and as he thought about the future, small streaks of water flowed from the corner of his eyes before he fell asleep.

_If I could just go away for a while, I wouldn't mind._

_**Your desire is strong, boy…for that I think you might have what I am seeking.**_ Edward's eyes suddenly shot wide open, his head on a swivel as he looked around his room for the voice but found no one there the young writer unconsciously gripping the sheets of his pillow before he let out a sigh.

_Crazy, yes but psychiatric help is a no go._

_**If you simply think yourself as crazy or a loon, it is more the option to actually meet you in person.**_

"Okay, seriously. Where are you at? I got a baseball bat in my closet to whack myself into oblivion or you if you show yourself. And I don't want to know if my mind has just snapped at this point."

_**I see, well then if you will I am not going to dignify that with a response and instead concentrate on what you desire: a way out of this reality.**_ Edward paused, his eyes still searching for the intruder despite instincts telling him to run from this voice no matter how formal and nice it sounded…what was up with him lately? Must have been the midnight coffees taking their reveangeance…ha, reference!

"Okay, I'm crazy and have nothing to lose so fire away."

_**You desire a free trip to oblivion? You must seriously think I'm like Chuck Norris or something like that to ask for that kind of desire, but seriously can you let me finish what I want to say?**_ Edward crossed his arms in silence as the voice took it as his cue to continue speaking, clearing its throat.

_**To truly answer your question, no, you are not mad and no, you're not going to be sending yourself into an asylum any time soon. You see, I'm *********_

"Uh, sorry what I can't hear what you're saying?" Edward asked uncomfortably, his ears hearing a sigh from the voice as it almost did a facepalm in reply.

_**Oh what the actual…I could've been certain I set the telepathic frequency to the right channel.**_

"Wait, you've a telepathic radio in my head?!" Edward hissed, remembering it was the middle of the night as he brought his hands to clutch his head in support all the while searching for some chip.

_**Okay I'm pretty sure the channel was secure…testing 3, okay my name is *******…Okayyyy, yep I can't tell you who I am. But my name's not important, it's my proposal to let you leave this dimension and fall through the layer of reality that I'm pushing to see if you'll accept. **_Seeing the blank stare, the voice seemed to mutter something incoherently to itself before it answered Edward's unspoken question as he sat on the bed wide awake._** Fine, it means you get to go to an alternate dimension, The Multiverse! Bubbles and Pancakes and all that nonsense, damnit give me a break Edward I'm trying to give you a way out.**_

"I dunno if you're lying or I should just say, 'hey let's go, no questions asked and shit!' and come with you?" Edward asked suspiciously, the room suddenly going silent before a simple reply came back.

_**How about I show you?**_

"My body…it is ready."

…

"…"

_**I'm going to pretend you did not just say that, anyway close your eyes or this won't work…for no apparent reason of course.**_

"So…why-"

_**Just close your eyes, damnit**_

"So what does this have to do with..." Edward's last words couldn't comprehend what he just saw, his room was gone and the pillow he held had escaped his grasp too as the young writer slowly got up from the bare cold floor where his bed formerly was as he looked around again, this time to find the owner of the voice.

"Me?" He finished lamely, earning a chuckle from the empty air as it saw the reaction from Edward though what his real expression was couldn't be seen.

_**I knew you might like it. This is the small spaces in between the universes that your Earth has so neatly created, the mind and creativity is a powerful tool here…to create and destroy entire realities at the touch of a hand, however there are some which cannot be destroyed no matter what the outcome may be and in these small pockets of realities and universes I grant you an opportunity to get away from your otherwise boring life.**_ Edward now tensed, not out of anger but fear coursing his system as he looked in shock at the white room the voice seeming to read his thoughts spoke out with a flat tone.

_**You just want to see me in my naked glory? I'm touched….TOUCHED, get it?**_

"Look you had a proposal and I'll listen, but I just want to know what you're offering before I know what I want to do."

_**Very well Edward, you are given an invitation of a lifetime. It is only given to those I deem fit to carry out the role because of two conditions, the first being a desire that you have to escape reality and the second…is that the person I selected is close to death.**_ Edward snapped out of a trance at the final words, his eyes in disbelief as he patted a hand on his chest as if daring the mysterious entity to admit he was wrong.

"I don't feel like dying."

_**Ah, but that's the thing. You were actually scheduled to die tonight, when several robbers would invade your house and your brother would manage to beat them back but not before you are stabbed in the chest and die almost instantly. Consider this a…painless life retirement.**_ Edward halted in mid-step, his eyes widening in horror as images flash through his eyes before he sank to the floor on his knees tears coming down his face as it proceeded to go into a loop the voice ignoring this reaction and continued speaking nonchalantly.

_**What you see is what will happen to you in the next few moments of your ending life, the robbery and the fight that will kill you. Get it yet? Fate and time cannot be altered once in what is considered the past, in this case your life has now become the past and any chance of reversing fate is now lost.**_

* * *

**Edward remembered hearing a small noise, his eyes lifting from the bed as he picked himself up his feet going into an automatic tip-toe as he crept toward his door the noises growing louder to make light of feet shuffling and the lock of a door being turned inside out, his heart beating faster with each passing minute before a hand clamped the back of his shoulder making him jump as he spun at a inhuman speed to face the source only to sigh in relief at his brother's reassuring face.**

"**Shit man, you scared me." Edward put a hand to his chest to calm his heart from jumping around in his chest as Cilian motioned for him to keep down, his face not smiling at the relief of his brother as his attention fell elsewhere his hand on his phone typing in a hotline while the noises from the front door grew louder. Edward feeling a chill run down his spine from the thud of the door lowered himself into a crouch at the top of the stairs, his eyes a little blurry so he couldn't see what was happening as his brother broke into a clam hurried tone behind him.**

"**Yea, I suspect a robbery they are breaking the lock of our front door…at the rate their going, should be a few minutes and I glanced out the window…three of them, ma'am. Yeah, okay we'll see if we can hide before you come." Edward couldn't eavesdrop on the conversation but from the slightly panicked expression on his brother's face it wasn't good, his eyes managing to adjust as he walked back into his room much to the confusion of his older brother before he returned shortly holding a baseball bat and a small switchblade in each hand.**

"**Judging from your face and the noise, we're getting robbed." He whispered to Cilian as the latter nodded grimly, Edward's face burning from the fear pounding in his chest as he handed his brother the knife who took it with a curt nod as he observed the knife in hand tracing the blade with his finger gently while Edward crouched beside him, a focused look on his face.**

"**You're from the military, bro. You got a plan?"**

"**Yea, we hide upstairs and wait for one of them to come in then we strike." Cilian spoke coldly, a hiss escaping his throat as his brother caught a glimpse of a fire in his eye before he shrugged the baseball bat on his shoulder for support.**

"**You mean we should jump in and die right then and now." Edward spoke with a deadpan voice, making his sibling snap his head around to face him with a disapproving look as the door receiving another body slam as the lock began to click slightly shaking his head.**

"**No nothing so suicidal as that, I'll take one of them down then you knock out one of them. But if this doesn't work…make sure you can run to me and we take them both down together." Edward gave it a thought, hearing another slam as the door was about to give way and with not much time to change the plan he nodded at his brother who motioned for him to follow them back to his room just in time when a kick sent the door off its hinges. The two men sneaking into Cilian's room then halted at the noise anxiety gripping their hearts as Cilian looked at Edward with reassuring eyes.**

"**Okay…here's the plan."**

"ARGH, SHIT!" Edward screamed in pain, his reflex kicking in as he clutched his head a feeling of whips cracking at his skull began to intensify as blood leaked out of his nose, his head tossed back to stem back the bleeding.

"_**Right now your mind is in freefall, two separate entities doing what they want according to your instinct. The side effects you're suffering now are minor inconveniences, and the strain of me holding part of your soul and mind in this realm is taking toll."**_

"You son of a bitch-ARGH!" Edward's curse broke off as his eyes flashed with more images flooding his vision, tears of blood streaking down from the corner of both his black orbs rapidly darting around in a frantic fashion before more blood spewed out from his mouth onto the floor, his teeth clacking together as his arms began to twitch uncontrollably and his fingers began to bend abnormally backwards…

"**Okay, here they come. You remember what to do, just do it." Cilian spoke, Edward nodding in assurance as they took their places at the door Cilian would hide where the door would swing into the wall his knife in the outermost hand for a faster strike while Edward took the other side, his breathing hitched in his throat as the thumping grew louder the door suddenly kicked open as Edward moved in, the baseball bat coming into the face of the intruder as a sickening crack entered his skull the bat continuing its arc right into the hard wooden support of the wall, another crack told Edward he was out as Cilian moved towards the stairs knife in hand and a small basket cover for a makeshift shield.**

"**Hey you hear that? Thomas! Did you find the kids who live in this joint?" A voice from the living room made them pause, the two men still in a crouch as the silence deafened the whole room.**

"**Forget it man, he's probably screwing around with some stuff up there. Anyway, I heard the mother was sent to the hospital a few weeks ago from a stroke…poor them." Another deep voice cut off the other man's as more shuffling and loud crashes could be heard.**

"**Really, is she hot?"**

"**She's good-looking, but it don't matter even if we do find her. Our plan was to tie 'em up and leave 'em while we repossess their belongings." The deep voice spoke like it was scolding a child as the other voice gave a sigh.**

"**Fine, but you owe me a hooker."**

"Sick son of a…a….damn it all." More blood spilled onto the floor as he began to feel himself flicker his body rendered partially transparent as he looked upon his vanishing hand in shock and horror, a scream wrecking his body as more coughs and blood flowed out of his body, his agonizing screams heightening as the voice above him spoke again.

"_**Resisting your fate is stubborn, this was predestined for you already because of choices others made for themselves and their fate is sealed…as is yours."**_

"Is there nothing you can do? Send me back! I don't care if I die, I have to make sure my brother is safe!" Edward yelled, his fists clutching so hard he felt his fingernails pierce the skin as he stared up at the white silence without any answer. His rage boiling beyond any self-control as he thumped his remaining hand on the ground pounding the surface causing ripples to reverberate in a harmonic ring, the weird transparency already crawling up to his lower chest.

"Hey! What is this bullshit, you think you can just waltz in here and speak to me like I owe you shit just because I'm dying?! This is like some sick fanfiction joke you playing with me?! ME?! I LOST MY FAMILY, AND I CAN'T DO SHIT ABOUT IT AND NOW YOU WANT TO TAKE MY REMAINING FAMILY AWAY FROM ME?"

_**Quit your racket boy, I still have ears. And no, I already ensured your brother's clock…it's still ticking, meaning he is still alive and by now I imagine the robbers are gone and you are already passing from your world.**_ Edward continued to glare at the air, his voice raspy and choked with still running tears as he spoke three words.

"Bring me back."

_**You are quite the merciless killing machine I always thought of you to be, hidden under that mask of yours…I can prove it, and you will soon believe now that you have no choice but to accept my offer or perish like an insect on the ground beneath me. **_The voice turned malicious, the young writer feeling strength and his conscious leaving the plane as he warped out into darkness.

It was dark, and he couldn't see much before he realized a face looking over his body with tears streaming down his face as he tried to speak but hardly a croak came out of him as he tried to register the sudden piercing feeling and the numbness of the wind blowing across his body. Focusing by only the smallest margin of self-control over his body he managed to catch a glimpse of his crying brother kneeling with blood covering his face and shirt. He looked a bit roughed up, his head had a small cut with a trickle of blood running down and past his eyebrow and a few minor cuts on his cheek and lips but as Edward trailed his shaky eyes downwards with considerable effort, he realized just how bad his injuries or deathblows were as the sounds of sirens wailed into the night air the rapid thundering of boots and men running around the house which he barely recognized as cops searching for any of the robbers.

"Ed? ED! Please stay….please….E….stay….help….coming…." Edward simply gave a gurgle and coughed out a small portion of blood onto the floor, his eyes rolling in and out of consciousness as he kept himself awake, unable to come to terms with the multiple stab wounds that riddled his body and the blood spilling like an overflowing cup onto the ground as the world started to fade around him his brother's panicked eyes and screams becoming a bare whisper in the cold empty wind.

"…need…dad…can't…you…too…" Edward couldn't feel his legs nor body, and as a last ditch effort started to shakily move his lips into a reassuring smile as he let out several weak gasps.

"L….lov…y…"

The world had turned to darkness.

_The multiverse layer_

Edward woke, a dark depressing feeling of dread crossed his lips as he processed what had happened in the short span of several minutes away from his body as shock clouded his vision. He had died, Edward Torch had finally died from a vicious attack by robbers and stabbed repeatedly when he had tried to fend them off while his brother was away pounding at the other, a victim of a tragedy that left no happiness for a family wrecked with death already at his mother's door and his brother, his great brother would be alone with no one to help him in need. Edward had a loss for words, any sharp remark or comment to the voice was missing on his lips as he continued to sit there on the slate white floor with a blank look ignoring the air which seemed to tense slightly at his slouch.

_**I'm deeply sorry, even if I convinced you it would have happened either way. It was death, or you accept my proposal nothing more. Your death seemed…boring, for a human being it was commonplace to call out for your loved one-**_

"Don't you dare…insult my family. I have just lost the most important person to me, and nothing can bring it back. So forgive me if my death didn't entertain nor amuse you, because I don't feel like it." Edward seethed, his mind refilled with the images of the knife and him jumping in front of his brother's back letting it pass into him before he was set upon and knives were only seen jumping up and down his body in rhythmic patterns, his anger subsiding for grief as he put his head in his hands the tears begging to be released right then and there.

_**It was fated to happen, and I was out of line. I sincerely apologize for my previous statement, having power can…change you if you let it fester in your line of thinking. But as I said before, you now have no home, no family and your life is literally lost now...I cannot stress the importance of your decision about my proposal I have come up with, as of now you don't have much time. Your memories are slowly crumbling along with your existence if you do not choose hastily, in fact some of your memories are already broken.**_

"I may as well just disappear if I can't protect anyone now. I'm just weak, even though it is a good thing the truth is there for me to face that I wasn't strong. But let me ask you something: if I accept this proposal, what will happen to me?" Edward clenched his teeth, pain and sorrow still wracking his mind with guilt as he gripped his bloodied pants in his fists the transparency gliding up to his neck, more blood beginning to wreck havoc on his already weak body as he fell to the ground.

_**Simple, you will not die but you will be sent to a place where danger is at its highest and I frankly want this world's humans to survive just a bit longer, and when you accept I will throw you into it to be revitalized as a human being…no, the words will not apply to you soon. You will be a god among men, stalking the world and striking fear and distrust about your uniqueness…you will be hunted and do good in spite of their thoughts, a person who is cursed with broken memories to lead the path.**_

"_A God among men, how poetic."_ Edward thought bitterly as he sank into contemplation of the decision that laid before him, it was simple choice that betrayed no underlying motive nor purpose coming from the voice and the fact he took into consideration was that he could pass into the afterlife or he could be revived into a place he had no care nor purpose there to find one for himself to live on. He did hesitate for a moment, didn't he want to go to heaven? To join the angels in prayer and praise for a death without purpose or meaning? Edward couldn't even respond himself, but his mind seem to have made its choice. The mysterious aura did not have to wait long before Edward looked back upwards, a look of loss still attached to his face refusing to release the agony and pain he gained.

"I'll do it."

_**I will be sending you in then, you will be a child when you enter this new world near a forest where a village lies. I have a task for you when you fully adjust to life there, but for now use your new life and find a purpose…also you will have a special power in store for you, something to reward you on your journey to a new lease on life.**_ The white realm had begun to be besotted upon by dark grimy grey clouds as the young man felt his eyes close, his hand gripping what appeared to be a simple wakizashi in his hand with a simple green ornate hilt as a troubled look stayed on his face before the warm light engulfed him, his mouth moving in prayer before he fell asleep.

End

Author's Note: This is my attempt at an intense chapter, hoping my efforts didn't come up as bad. It's been two years I stopped writing and now I'm trying my hand at it again, hoping my skills have not diminished rapidly as I thought.

Character Profile

Patient 508

Name: Edward 'Serpentine' Torch

Age: 20

Occupation: a student awaiting enrolment at a university, works at a small library stacking books for an acceptable amount of money to live

Family members: father (murdered), mother (comatose, dying), brother (alive), aunt (deceased), uncle (deceased), a little sister (miscarriage)

Notable traits: a person with tact and adaptability, a shy person overall in terms of social contact and has minimal friends and speaks normally with people he's comfortable with. Also intelligent but humble.

Behavior: prone to anger if provoked enough, shows slight apathy and an unfortunately growing, suicidal tendency which is problematic due to his bottling up of emotions making him volatile. Had been administrated medication to reduce suicidal tendency, but it seems he has recovered mostly in recent years a hidden strength to prove people that he can control his own life instead of people fawning and directing where they wanted him to go. Sent out reports to university and brother to make sure they take more care in interactions with Edward in the future.

Note and recommendations: The medication is to be taken away from him and he can now live his life without much obstacles, though I recommend to any future lecturers or bosses to conduct visits to the psychiatrist every 4 months to review progress and until further notice is considered able to work.


End file.
